Tom Proctor

WINSTAR’S UNBEATEN GEMOLOGIST HOPES TO FOLLOW SUPER SAVER’S FOOTSTEPS IN JOCKEY CLUB – WinStar Farm LLC and trainer Todd Pletcher teamed up to win the 2009 running of the Kentucky Jockey Club (Grade II) with Super Saver, and returned to Churchill Downs with the colt the following spring to capture the $2 million-guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI).

Those connections hope for similar good fortune with Gemologist, their latest juvenile star who puts an unbeaten record on the line in Saturday’s 85^th running of the $150,000-added Kentucky Jockey Club for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on the main track beneath the Twin Spires.

“Certainly we’ve had luck in this race before and have had horses run well and then go on to bigger and better things as 3-year-olds,” assistant trainer Michael McCarthy said. “I’m sure we’ll start thinking about it (the Kentucky Derby) after the race Saturday. But you’re always thinking about it – especially in this operation.”

A big, handsome son of Tiznow, Gemologist still has plenty of upside and McCarthy believes he could be able to follow in Super Saver’s footsteps and develop into a 3-year-old of Derby and Triple Crown quality.

“He’s a lot of horse and a fantastic looking animal,” McCarthy said. “I think he’ll get better with racing and I see no reason why he won’t develop into a nice 3-year-old. He’s still got a lot of maturing to do; not so much physically, but mentally.”

Gemologist, purchased as a weanling for $310,000 at the 2009 Keeneland November Sale, cruised to a five-length victory in his career debut over Turfway Park’s Polytrack surface.  He followed that with a two-length allowance victory at the Kentucky Jockey Club distance on Churchill Downs’ Stars of Tomorrow I card.

"He’s two-for-two and has a little bit of a buzz around him,” McCarthy said. “Anytime a horse has won going a distance of ground at this stage of their career it’s good, and to have a win over the racetrack is a feather in your cap.”

Gemologist will break from post nine under Javier Castellano when he faces 10 rivals in the Kentucky Jockey Club. His main competition could come from Augustin Stable’s Ever So Lucky, a flashy 3 ¼-length maiden winner for steeplechase training legend Jonathan Sheppard at Churchill Downs on Nov. 11.  Ever So Lucky, a bay son of Indian Charlie, was supplemented to the Kentucky Jockey Club for a fee of $7,500.

"There are a lot of horses in the race that look like they have a lot of upside,” McCarthy said. “Certainly Jonathan Sheppard’s horse is one of them. He did nothing wrong in his debut and anytime you see Sheppard do something like bring a horse back on short rest, then you definitely need to pay attention.”

Ever So Lucky will break from the rail and is expected to challenge for the early lead, a development McCarthy would welcome.

“I think Gemologist will be fairly forwardly placed,” McCarthy said. “It’d be nice if someone would go to the lead and we could sit off him and have Gemologist learn a little something.”

Named in honor of the holding company that operated Churchill Downs at the time of the race’s inaugural running in 1920, the Kentucky Jockey Club is the co-featured event with the $150,000-added Golden Rod (GII) for 2-year-old fillies on the Stars of Tomorrow II program,.  It will be run as race 11 with a scheduled post time 5:42 p.m. (all times EST).  Post time for the day’s first race is 12:40 p.m.

FLASHY DEBUT WINNER EVER SO LUCKY RETURNS IN KENTUCKY JOCKEY CLUB – Those who watched the impressive 3 ¼-length debut victory by Augustin Stable’s Ever So Lucky at Churchill Downs on Nov. 11 might have been surprised to learn the Indian Charlie colt is trained by Jonathan Sheppard.

Sheppard, who last year became the first trainer to saddle 1,000 steeplechase winners in the United States, is not known for having precocious juveniles in his barn, but finds himself with one of the Fall Meet’s most-discussed horses the colt owned by George Strawbridge’s Augustin Stable. The $600,000 sales topper at Fasig-Tipton’s Mid-Atlantic Selected 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale at Maryland’s Timonium, Ever So Lucky was installed by Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia as the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the Kentucky Jockey Club.

“I was absolutely delighted with his first race,” Sheppard said. “He broke a step slowly and (jockey Julien) Leparoux asked him to move up and it seemed like he took the lead in just a few jumps. He was under pressure on the lead and when Julien asked him to run, he responded and won with a lot left. He ran like an old pro.”

Ever So Lucky’s flashy debut so impressed his connections that they paid $7,500 to make him a supplemental nominee to the Kentucky Jockey Club.

“It was a mutual decision between myself and Mr. Strawbridge,” Sheppard said. “We were trying to decide what to do with him and we decided to give him a second race at the track he was at and seems to like. This also gives him a race going two turns and sets him up nicely to get a breather and then get him ready for the big 3-year-old races next spring.”

One of those “big 3-year-old races” Sheppard was referring to is the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI). Sheppard, who will turn 71 on Dec. 2, has never saddled a starter in the Run for the Roses.

“I’m not going to push them and make them do something they’re not ready for,” Sheppard said. “We usually stick to the theory that you can have a good young horse or a good older horse, but you can’t have both. However, I think he (Ever So Lucky) has the disposition to be a good horse next year. He has a very good mind and is a really nice horse. I don’t want to jinx myself though because you really never know.”

Ever So Lucky will break from the rail post in the Kentucky Jockey Club. Some would be nervous about a 2-year-old breaking the inside gate, but Sheppard does not see the post as an issue for Ever So Lucky.

“The rail is not a bad spot if you have a horse with some speed,” Sheppard said. “I think Leparoux will be able to get him out of there fine.”

KENTUCKY OAKS TRAIL FOR CUSTOMER BASE BEGINS WITH THE GOLDEN ROD – Glen Hill Farm’s Customer Base is unbeaten on synthetic surfaces in her young career, but she moves to traditional dirt for Saturday’s 68^th running of the $150,000-added Golden Rod (Grade II) at Churchill Downs in hope that the race will be a first step on a trail to next spring’s $1 million Kentucky Oaks (GI).

“If she can get lucky and win Saturday then she’ll be nominated to the Kentucky Oaks, which is what I want because if she runs well then we’ll definitely point that way with her,” trainer Tom Proctor said.

Customer Base was a winner on debut over synthetic Polytrack footing at Del Mar and improved her record to a perfect two-for-two with a 1 ½-length victory over Keeneland’s Polytrack surface. The only poor effort in her career came Customer Base drew post 13 in a bid for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GII) on Nov. 4.  She finished 11^th of 14 fillies that day behind the victorious Stephanie’s Kitten.

“She ran so well over the Polytrack that I decided to put her in the Juvenile Fillies Turf,” Proctor said. “I wasn’t sure if she’d like the turf or not, but honestly I still don’t know because she lost all chance with a bad trip. Her pedigree says she can run on the turf or the dirt.”

A 2-year-old daughter of Lemon Drop Kid, Customer Base was installed as the 7-2 second choice for the Golden Rod by Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia.

“If she likes the dirt then she’ll be tough in there,” Proctor said. “I don’t know why she wouldn’t. She’s trained well over it and is doing really good.”

While the Kentucky Oaks is the primary long-term goal for Customer Base, Proctor has a backup plan for his filly if things don’t go as planned Saturday.

“If she doesn’t run well then I’ll take her to Tampa Bay and get her ready for the Florida Oaks (at 1 1/16 miles on turf on Feb.4),” Proctor said.

Customer Base will break from post eight in the field of 11 under leading-rider Julien Leparoux. Post time for the Golden Rod, the co-featured event on the Stars of Tomorrow II program, is 4:42 p.m.

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockeys over the last five racing days (Nov. 17-23) are Corey Lanerie (8-for-44) and Julien Leparoux (7-for-29). Nick Zito (3-for-4), Eddie Kenneally (3-for-6), Ken McPeek (3-for-9) and Mike Maker (3-for-13) are the hottest trainers over the same period. Carolyn Wilson (2-for-2) and Ken and Sarah Ramsey (2-for-8) are the hottest owners.

BARN TALK – Arena Elvira, winner of Thursday’s Falls City Handicap (GII) at Churchill Downs, exited the race in good order, according to assistant trainer Kenny McCarthy. The 4-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper will be given some time off before she begins a 5-year-old campaign. …

The second and third-place finishers in the Falls City, Afleeting Lady and It’s Tea Time, also came out of the race well.  No firm plans are in place for either filly, but both are expected to run next year. …

A reminder that a memorial service for the late trainer Robert Holthus will be held Saturday, Nov. 26 at 10:30 a.m. (EST) at Christ Chapel on the Churchill Downs backside. 

Churchill Downs will host a “Stache Bash” on Saturday during the races to honor and celebrate all of the Mo Bros and Mo Sistas who participated in Movember. Churchill Downs will donate $1 per attendee who is sporting a mustache to the Movember Foundation with a minimum guaranteed pledge of $5,000 given through the Churchill Downs Foundation. The day’s festivities will include between-race live music by popular Cincinnati-based My Sister Sarah in the paddock area and Happy Hour drink specials from 3-5 p.m. …

Churchill Downs will offer free admission to all fans on Sunday, Nov. 27, the closing-day of the 2011 Fall Meet. Also, be sure to bring the kids out to see Santa Claus, who will be in the Paddock Pavilion on Sunday.

WORKTAB – Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC’s Tapizar, winner of the Sham (GIII) in January and fifth to Caleb’s Posse in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI) in his most recent start, breezed five furlongs on the fast main track at Churchill Downs on Friday morning in 1:03.20 for trainer Steve Asmussen. The work was the 11^th fastest of 17 at the distance. …

Also working for Asmussen on Friday morning was Thiskyhasnolimit, winner of the Texas Mile (GIII) in April. Owned by Mark Wagner and Bob and Cathy Zollars, the 4-year-old son of Sky Mesa breezed five furlongs in 1:05.40.

Anita Cauley’s homebred On Fire Baby, winner by three-quarters of length in the $150,000-added Pocahontas (Grade II) in the Stars of Tomorrow I program on the opening day of the Fall Meet, is the early favorite to add another graded-stakes win to her growing resumé when she faces 10 rivals in Saturday’s 68^th running of Churchill Downs $150,000-added Golden Rod (GII) for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on the main track at Churchill Downs.

Named for the official flower of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Golden Rod will be the ninth race on Saturday’s 12-race Stars of Tomorrow II program devoted exclusively to races for 2-year-olds and has a scheduled post time of 4:42 p.m. (all times EST).  Post time for Saturday’s first race is 12:40 p.m.

Trained by Churchill Downs veteran Gary Hartlage, On Fire Baby began her career with an impressive four-length victory in a maiden-special weight race at Ellis Park. The gray/roan daughter of Smoke Glacken then finished fifth to eventual Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GII) winner Stephanie’s Kitten in Keeneland’s Darley Alcibiades (GI), but rebounded to win the Pocahontas.

On Fire Baby is a half-sister to 2007 Fantasy (GII) winner High Heels, who finished third in the 2006 Golden Rod and returned the following spring to run third to eventual Belmont Stakes (GI) winner Rags to Riches in the Kentucky Oaks (GI).  She will break from post six under Joe Johnson, and oddsmaker Mike Battaglia has installed Hartlage’s filly as a narrow 3-1 favorite.

On Fire Baby’s main competition in the Golden Rod could the trio Glen Hill Farm’s Customer Base, Stonestreet Stables LLC’s Glinda the Good, and John C. Oxley’s duo Spirited Miss and Golden History.  Each filly possesses experience in stakes races during their brief careers.

Customer Base, a daughter of Lemon Drop Kid trained by Tom Proctor, won her first two starts over synthetic surfaces at Del Mar and Keeneland before she ran 11^th  from an outside post to Stephanie’s Kitten in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GII).  Jockey Julien Leparoux will be in the saddle for the third consecutive race aboard Customer Base, who is the 7-2 second choice in Battaglia’s morning line and breaks from post eight in her debut on traditional dirt.

The Steve Asmussen-trained Glinda the Good was runner-up to Grace Hall in the Blue Hen at Delaware Park before that rival finished second to Asmussen’s unbeaten My Miss Aurelia in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) on Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs.  The 2-year-old daughter of Hard Spun ran third to On Fire Baby in the Pocahontas and will break from post 10 in the Golden Rod under Corey Lanerie.  Asmussen’s filly is the 5-1 third choice in Battaglia’s morning line odds.

Both Spirited Miss and Golden History launched their careers at Canada’s Woodbine for trainer Mark Casse, who has earned three Sovereign Awards as Canada’s top trainer who earned a training title at Churchill Downs early in this career.

Spirited Miss, a homebred daughter of Sky Mesa, will race on traditional dirt for the first time after running on grass and Polytrack at Woodine in her previous three starts.  She won at first asking on grass, then ran fourth on that surface to Northern Passion in the Grade III Natalma – a race in which Stephanie’s Kitten ran third.  Spirited Miss narrowly lost on Polytrack last out in Woodbine’s Mazarine, but is the 6-1 fourth choice in the Golden Rod and Javier Castellano rides from gate three.

Golden History is a daughter of Medaglia d’Oro and an impressive winner in her racing debut on Polytrack at Woodbine in October.   She ran fifth to On Fire Baby in her debut over traditional dirt in the Pocahontas, but finished only three lengths behind the winner. Shaun Bridgmohan will ride Golden History, an 8-1 risk who will break from post nine.

Another possible contender is Alex G. Campbell Jr.’s Karlovy Vary, a daughter of Dynaformer who makes her dirt debut after a pair of starts on grass at Keeneland and Saratoga.  Robby Albarado will ride the Rusty Arnold trainee who comes off an impressive maiden win at 1 1/16 miles on the Keeneland turf.  Karlovy Vary was entered in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, but did not draw into the race from its list of also-eligible horses.  She will break from the outside post in the 11-horse Golden Rod field and is listed at 8-1 in Battaglia’s morning line odds.

Arnold also trains Annie Russell, a daughter of Ghostzapper who scored her first victory over Keeneland’s Polytrack course after a pair of solid runs on turf at Arlington Park, including a fourth-place run behind Stephanie’s Kitten in her racing debut.  She is listed at 15-1 under Brian Hernandez Jr. for her debut on traditional dirt in the Golden Rod.

The Golden Rod field, from the rail out (with trainer, jockey, morning line odds) is as follows: Back Spin (Jinks Fires, Jon Court, 15-1), Annie Russell (Arnold, Hernandez, 15-1), Spirited Miss (Casse, Castellano, 6-1), Goldrush Girl (Ken McPeek, Manny Cruz, 15-1), Spring Eclipse (David Vance, Edgar Prado, 20-1), On Fire Baby (Hartlage, Johnson, 3-1), Jamraa (Tim Girten, Jesus Castanon, 20-1), Customer Base (Proctor, Leparoux, 7-2), Golden History (Casse, Bridgmohan, 8-1), Glinda the Good (Asmussen, Lanerie, 5-1) and Karlovy Vary (Arnold, Albarado, 8-1).

LOPRESTI: TURALLURE GETS A REST, WISE DAN LIKELY FOR CLARK – Trainer Charles Lopresti’s tremendous run of success over the past three years came within a nose of producing the biggest moment of his career during the recent Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs.

Four D Stable’s Turallure, winner of the Grade I Woodbine Mile in his previous start, launched a dazzling stretch run in the $2 million TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (GI) and blew past three-time defending champion Goldikova in the stretch, but was denied victory by longshot Court Vision.  Turallure had defeated that rival at Woodbine.

Coming up short in that painful photo-finish was disappointing, but Lopresti is proud of Turallure’s performance and looking for better things when the gray son of Canadian Triple Crown winner Wando returns to run in 2012.  Lopresti is also hoping for a big finish in 2011 with Morton Fink’s versatile Wise Dan, who is being pointed toward a run in the $500,000-added Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GI).  That’s a race that Lopresti appeared to win last fall – but lost via disqualification – with Fink’s Successful Dan.

But first, Lopresti is winding Turallure down from his terrific season and near-miss seasonal finale in the Mile.

“We’re just going to let him down and unwind him a little bit,” Lopresti said.  “We’ve got him out in a round pen right now, just letting him be a horse for about a month or so.  Then we’ll start back after the first of the year for him.”

A much-discussed aspect of the 2011 renewal of the Mile has been jockey Olivier Peslier’s decision to pull Goldikova, who had started from post one, off the hedge while in traffic in upper stretch.  The move set off a chain-reaction of bumping and altered paths among horses behind and outside of Goldikova, who eventually finished third.

Among the horses forced to alter course was Turallure.

“That just pushed him farther out on the track,” Lopresti said.  “But he proved that he’s that nice a horse.  And if we’ve got that nice a horse for next year, we’re golden, I think.”

Turallure completed his 4-year-old season with a record of 6-3-3 in 16 career races with earnings of $1,267,465.  He had career earnings of $110,005 entering the 2011 season. 

Regarding Wise Dan, Lopresti is leaning toward a run in the 137^th Clark Handicap for the 4-year-old son of Wiseman’s Ferry, who has stakes wins this year on grass in Churchill Downs’ Firecracker Handicap (GII) and on synthetic surfaces in the Fayette (GII) at Keeneland and Presque Isle Downs Mile, which were run on synthetic Polytrack and Tapeta surfaces, respectively.

Wise Dan is also nominated to run in next Saturday’s $100,000-added River City Handicap (GIII) at 1 1/8 miles on turf and was assigned high weight of 122 pounds for that race. But Lopresti said the Clark looks like the best spot for Wise Dan, who also lists a pair of wins on Churchill Downs dirt on his increasingly impressive résumé.

Since his run at Woodbine, Wise Dan had two races at Keeneland:  a strong fourth-place run behind three-time U.S. turf champion Gio Ponti in the Shadwell Turf Mile (GI) and his impressive four-length romp in the 1 1/8-mile Fayette.   Lopresti said Wise Dan is scheduled for an easy breeze this week at Keeneland, his first work since his Fayette win.

“We had a question about the mile and an eighth, but after that race (the Fayette) we decided to go to the Clark,” Lopresti said.  “If everything goes right in the next couple of weeks, he’s coming.”Meanwhile, Lopresti reported that Fink’s Successful Dan – who won last year’s Fayette prior to his DQ loss in the Clark – continues to make solid progress after missing all of this year with tendon injury.  Continued forward movement could lead to a return to racing next year for the 5-year-old gelding by Successful Appeal, a horse Lopresti believes that, at his best, is as talented as any older horse in the United States.

“He’s training every day and looking good,” Lopresti said.  “Look for him next spring.  I hope he comes back good.”

WISE DAN ASSIGNED HIGH WEIGHT FOR SATURDAY’S RIVER CITY – Wise Dan, an eye-catching four-length winner of the Fayette (Grade II) at Keeneland, has been assigned the high weight of 122 pounds by racing secretary Ben Huffman for Saturday’s 34^th running of the $100,000-added River City Handicap (GIII) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course at Churchill Downs.

The Fayette triumph was the second Grade II victory of the year for Morton Fink’s homebred Wise Dan, who also captured the Firecracker Handicap on the turf beneath the Twin Spires on closing day of the 38-day Spring Meet.

A 4-year-old gelded son of Wiseman’s Ferry, the Charlie Lopresti-trained Wise Dan is not expected to run in the River City and instead will be pointed to the $500,000-added Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GI) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 25.

The next high weight at 121 pounds is Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Dean’s Kitten, who recently finished ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (GI) over the Matt Winn Turf Course on Nov. 5. A 4-year-old son of Kitten’s Joy, Dean’s Kitten was narrowly defeated by Cape Blanco-IRE in the Turf Classic (GI) at Belmont Park prior to running in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Trained by Mike Maker, Dean’s Kitten has a record of 4-4-4 from 24 starts and earnings of $802,950.

Weighted one pound below Dean’s Kitten is Hat Trick Stable and Kinghaven Farms’ Stormy Lord. Trained by Ian Black, the 4-year-old gelded son of Stormy Atlantic is an eight-time winner with $922,375 in career earnings. His biggest victory came in the Connaught Cup (GII) at Woodbine in May of this year.

Entries for the River City will be taken Wednesday. Horses expected to be entered according to Churchill Downs officials include Tajaaweed (trained by Daniel Peitz, weighted at 119 pounds), Blues Street (Eddie Kenneally, 116), Gleam of Hope (Mike Stidham, 115), Bergerac (Jimmy Baker, 114), Plutonium (David Pate, 114), Allie’s Event (Lori Smock, 113) and Zimmer (Pat Byrne, 112).

BOREL MOVING TACK TO GULFSTREAM AT CONCLUSION OF FALL MEET – Three-time Kentucky Derby winning jockey Calvin Borel is moving south for the winter and will begin riding at Gulfstream Park at the conclusion of Churchill Downs’ 21-day Fall Meet, according to agent Jerry Hissam.

"The main reason we’re going is to ride horses for (trainer) Ian (Wilkes),” Hissam said. “He’s got (Grade III Iroquois-winner) Motor City and several other babies that haven’t started yet. When you get a chance to ride a group of nice horses, you take it.”

Gulfstream Park’s meet will begin on Dec. 3, but Borel, who has traditionally ridden at Oaklawn Park over the winter, is not scheduled to begin riding at the track until Dec. 15.

Borel, who has ridden 853 winners at Oaklawn Park since 1991, has only recorded two victories at Gulfstream in the same time-span. In December, he will ride his first race at Gulfstream Park in nearly three years.

While the main draw to Gulfsteam is the Wilkes barn, Hissam noted there could be a few more reasons the 45-year-old Cajun is heading to Florida.

"We’re working on getting a few more good horses for him to ride down there, but nothing is official yet. Stay tuned.”

Borel, who is the second all-time leading rider beneath the Twin Spires with 1,071 wins, is currently tied for sixth in the jockey standings at Churchill Downs with four wins through the first 10 days of the Fall Meet.

BARN TALK – Glen Hill Farm’s Marketing Mix and Holidaysatthefarm both exited Saturday’s Mrs. Revere (Grade II) in good order, according to trainer Tom Proctor. Marketing Mix, an easy winner of the 1 1/16-mile race on the Matt Winn Turf Course at Churchill Downs, will remain at Proctor’s barn at the Louisville track for another week before shipping to Glen Hill Farm in Ocala, Fla. for a few months of R and R. Holidaysatthefarm, who finished eighth, will be pointed to the La Prevoyante Handicap (GIII) at Calder on Dec. 2. …

Happy 37^th birthday to jockey Corey Lanerie, who is currently second in the Churchill Downs jockey standings with 13 wins at the Fall Meet. On Nov. 6, Lanerie recorded his 300^th victory beneath the Twin Spires aboard Taptowne.

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockeys over the last five racing days (Nov. 6-12) are Julien Leparoux (13-for-36) and Brian Hernandez Jr. (8-for-24). Mike Maker (7-for-15) and Ronny Werner (4-for-5) are the hottest trainers over the same period. Ken and Sarah Ramsey (6-for-10) is the hottest owner.

WORKTAB – Silverton Hill LLC’s Fine breezed a “bullet” four furlongs on the fast main track at Churchill Downs on Sunday morning in :48.40 for trainer Bret Calhoun. Fine is nominated to the $150,000-added Kentucky Jockey Club (Grade II) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 26. …

Bluegrass Hall LLC’s Optimizer, who is also nominated to the Kentucky Jockey Club, breezed four furlongs on the main track in :49.60. The work was the 14^th fastest of 55 at the distance. …

Rule, a multiple graded-stakes winner of over $1 million, breezed five furlongs on the main track in 1:00.20 for trainer Todd Pletcher. The work was the fourth fastest of 38 at the distance Sunday morning. Owned by WinStar Farm LLC, Rule is nominated to Saturday’s River City Handicap (GIII) and the Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GI), which is to be run on Nov. 25. …

Team Block’s Never Retreat, winner of the First Lady (GI) at Keeneland in her most recent start, breezed six furlongs on the main track in 1:14.40 for trainer Chris Block.

At the nearby Trackside Training Center, Juanita, winner of the Indiana Oaks (GII) in her most recent start, breezed five furlongs on a fast track in 1:02.40 for trainer Mike Maker. The work was the fifth fastest of 21 at the distance. A 3-year-old daughter of Mineshaft, Juanita is nominated to $175,000-added Falls City Handicap, which is to be run beneath the Twin Spires on Nov. 24.

Also working at Trackside, Shadwell Stable’s Tajaaweed breezed a “bullet” five furlongs in 1:01.60 for trainer Daniel Peitz. Tajaaweed, a 6-year-old son of Dynaformer, is nominated to Saturday’s River City Handicap at Churchill Downs.

Glen Hill Farm’s Marketing Mix displayed a devastating late kick in the homestretch of Churchill Downs’ Matt Winn Turf Course to easily win Saturday’s $200,500 Mrs. Revere (Grade II) by 1 ½ lengths over Bizzy Caroline.

The Canadian-bred daughter of Medaglia d’Oro tracked pacesetter New Normal from second through most of the 1 1/16-mile race before jockey Julien Leparoux let loose his snug hold of the rein midway around the final turn. Marketing Mix took her rider’s cue, immediately grabbed the lead and kicked clear in the stretch for a convincing victory.

Marketing Mix stopped the teletimer in a swift 1:42.59 over “firm” going. The final time was second only to Mary’s Follies’ 2009 stakes record of 1:41.73 in 21 editions of the race – quite a feat when considering that Leparoux essentially eased the filly inside the final sixteenth of a mile.

"That was a really nice field and she won pretty easily,” said winning trainer Tom Proctor.

Sent postward as the 8-5 favorite, Marketing Mix paid $5.40, $3.20 and $2.60. Bizzy Caroline, ridden by Manny Cruz, rallied up the hedge to nose Hungry Island for second and paid $3.60 and $3.20. Hungry Island, with Corey Nakatani in the saddle, returned $3.20.

Smart Sting, Don’t Tell Sophia, Tourmaline, Groupie Doll, Holidaysatthefarm, New Normal (who led the field through early fractions of :24.04, :49.04 and 1:13.01), Sea Level Drive and Trac N Jam completed the order of finish. Louvakhova was scratched early Saturday morning.

“We got a good trip and went at an easy pace,” said Leparoux, who tops the Churchill Downs jockey standings with 20 wins through the first 10 days of the 21-day Fall Meet. “When we got a few lengths in front in the stretch, I (geared her down). She’s a nice filly and she won; she didn’t need to win by 10 (lengths).”

Marketing Mix collected her second graded stakes triumph this year. She won in similar fashion on Sept. 17 at Arlington Park to prevail in the Pucker Up (GIII). In her previous start on Oct. 15, the dark bay or brown filly was runner-up to the Aidan O’Brien-trained Together-IRE in the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (GI) at Keeneland.

Overall, Marketing Mix has won four of her nine starts. The $116,881 winner’s share of the purse boosted her career earnings to $538,826. Proctor plans to send the filly to his owner’s Glen Hill Farm in Ocala, Fla. for some R & R before she returns to action for a 4-year-old campaign.

Racing at Churchill Downs continues Sunday with a 10-race program that begins at 12:40 p.m. EST. The card features a three-day Pick 6 carryover of $8,702 on Races 5-10 plus a four-day Super Hi-5 carryover of $57,131 in the finale.

MRS. REVERE QUOTES

Tom Proctor, trainer of Marketing Mix (winner) – “That was a really nice field and she won pretty easily. She’s had a great year and has won over $500,000. She’ll head to the farm (Glen Hill in Ocala, Fla.) now and I’ll let her eat grass and have some fun for a few months.”

Julien Leparoux, jockey on Marketing Mix (winner) – “We got a good trip and went at an easy pace. When we got a few lengths in front in the stretch, I (geared her down). She’s a nice filly and she won; she didn’t need to win by 10 (lengths).”

Ken McPeek, trainer of Bizzy Caroline (runner-up) – “She ran really well. And that winner – I don’t think they even hit her.” (Note: Leparoux went to a left-handed stick twice aboard Marketing Mix).

Q: What do you do with Bizzy Caroline now – head to Florida? “I don’t know. We’ll see. In California she didn’t seem to go for the Bermuda grass, so I’m not sure we’ll run her in Florida. We might just wait for spring.  We like to win at Keeneland and Churchill.”

Manny Cruz, jockey on Bizzy Caroline (runner-up) – “She ran well. I saved more ground than anyone else in this race. I put her inside and stayed on the rail. She’s very honest; she gave to me what she had.”

Corey Nakatani, jockey on Hungry Island (third) – “My trip was really good. Going to the far turn she bobbled a little bit and took a bad step, and it cost her a little bit of her momentum. But once I got her going again, I got her to stay inside until we hit a seam and she actually ran a huge race off that pace. I had a feeling that’s what was going to happen, but she’s such a one-dimensional, one-style filly. I talked to (trainer) Shug (McGaughey) about it and he said, ‘Don’t worry about that. Just ride her, make one run and if we get there, we get there.'”

GLEN HILL FARM, PROCTOR TAKING TWO SHOTS AT MRS REVERE – Glen Hill Farm and trainer Tom Proctor will be taking two shots at this year’s extremely competitive edition of the $175,000-added Mrs. Revere (Grade II) with Marketing Mix and Holidaysatthefarm.

Marketing Mix will enter the Mrs. Revere off a game runner-up effort to Together-IRE in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (GI) at Keeneland. The plan was to originally give Marketing Mix the rest of the year off, but then the connections called an audible.

“The $175,000 (purse) had a lot to do with it,” Proctor said. “She’s also doing really well and we wanted to give her one more shot to run against her age group.”

The Mrs. Revere is one of the final opportunities for 3-year-old fillies to compete in stakes company on the turf exclusively against members of their own age group. For this reason, the race often comes up very competitive and the 21^st running of the race on Saturday is no exception.

“It’s always a tough race,” Proctor said. “Everyone wants to run against 3-year-olds one more time before the end of the year. This is one competitive race.”

Prior to the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, Marketing Mix won the Wonder Where at Woodbine by over four lengths and then took the Pucker Up (GIII) at Arlington Park by over three. She is the 5-2 favorite in oddsmaker Mike Battaglia’s morning line for the race that includes five other graded stakes winners.

“Why shouldn’t she be the favorite?” Proctor said. “She’s a runner.”

The odds on the other Glen Hill Farm-Proctor entrant Holidaysatthefarm will likely be much higher than her stablemate. The 3-year-old daughter of Smarty Jones, listed as a 20-1 risk in the morning line, will enter the Mrs. Revere off a fourth-place finish behind Daisy Devine in the Valley View (GIII) at Keeneland.

“It’d be nice to see her (Holidaysatthefarm) run really well and I think if they were going longer she could win,” Proctor said. “We’ll see how it goes, but I wanted to get a race in her and then run her longer. She’ll probably run in the La Prevoyante (GIII at 1 ½ miles on the turf at Calder Race Course on Dec. 2).”

The Mrs. Revere will be the ninth race on Saturday’s 10-race card. Post time for the first race is 12:40 p.m. (all times EST) with the Mrs. Revere scheduled for 4:37 p.m.

GROUPIE DOLL ENTERS MRS. REVERE; BRADLEY OPTIMISTIC -  When Brass Hat, a Grade I winner of over $2.1 million, retired this spring and left the Buff Bradley barn, the trainer commented that he was hoping one of the remaining horses in the barn would step-up and be his “next big horse.” Fast forward to today and it appears as though Bradley has found that next big horse in the 3-year-old filly Groupie Doll.

In six career starts, Groupie Doll has recorded a record of 3-2-0 with earnings of $239,930. After breaking her maiden by 3 ¼ lengths on dirt at Churchill Downs, the 3-year-old daughter of Bowman’s Band rolled to an eight-length victory in an allowance at Ellis Park prior to winning the Gardenia (GIII) by three lengths against older fillies and mares. Groupie Doll will enter the Mrs. Revere off runner-up performances in the Charles Town Oaks and the Lexus Raven Run (GII).

“It’s a really nice field, but if she can improve off her last two then she should be right there,” Bradley said.

The Mrs. Revere will be the first start on turf for Groupie Doll since her career debut when she finished eighth of 11 in a maiden special weight outing on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

“She should handle the turf course fine,” Bradley said. “Her last work (:47.20 around the “dogs” over a firm Matt Winn Turf Course on Nov. 8) was really good. I told (jockey) Greta (Kuntzweiler) to get her attention and make her work at it. She went slow the first quarter and then came home quick enough to let her know she was working. It was what we wanted and I was happy.”

The switch to the turf doesn’t concern Bradley and neither does the 1 1/16 mile distance of the Mrs. Revere.

“She’s never gone that far, but she’s never given us any reason to believe she can’t get the distance,” Bradley said. “I actually didn’t want to cut her back to seven furlongs after going a mile at Ellis Park, but we wanted to keep her running against 3-year-olds.”

Bradley is optimistic that his filly will run a big race Saturday, but he is also well-aware of the high quality horses that make up the field, especially two from one particular barn.

"It seems like you always have to run against (Tom) Proctor on the grass with a filly,” Bradley said.

STAKES WINNERS FACE OFF IN FRIDAY FEATURE AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – The Mrs. Revere isn’t the only race at Churchill Downs this weekend that came up extremely competitive as Friday’s featured allowance/optional claiming race includes four stakes winners.

Heuristic Stable’s Fortune Play is the morning-line favorite at 5-2 and will enter Friday’s fourth race off a second-place finish to Happy Week in seven-furlong allowance on the synthetic Polytrack course at Keeneland. Trained by John Booker Jr., Fortune Play captured the overnight Roxelana Stakes beneath the Twin Spires this spring. She is entered with a claiming-price of $80,000 and will break from post three under Freddie Lenclud.

To the inside of Fortune Play is Carl R. Moore Management LLC’s four-time stakes winner Speedacious, who will break from post two under Miguel Mena. The 4-year-old Louisiana-bred daughter of Yankee Gentleman has recorded three wins this year, including a victory in the Satin and Lace over the synthetic Tapeta course at Presque Isle Downs. According to Bret Calhoun’s assistant trainer Dennis Geier, Friday’s allowance will serve as the prep for the Louisiana Champions Day Ladies’ Sprint at Fair Grounds on Dec. 10. It will be the third appearance in the Louisiana Champions Day for Speedacious, who won the Louisiana Champions Day Lassie as a 2-year-old and finished ninth in the Ladies’ Sprint last year.

The co-second choice with Speedacious is William Patterson’s Dances With Ashley, who enters the race off a 10^th-place finish in the Thoroughbred Club of America (GII) on Keeneland’s Polytack. The 4-year-old daughter of Wildcat Heir was bred in Florida by Brambly Lane Farm and Steve Dwoskin and won two restricted stakes races at age three.

Drawing the outside post is Desk Farms LLC’s Helen Belen, a four-time winner in a career that is highlighted by a victory in last year’s Valdale at Turfway Park. She will be ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr.

BARN TALK – Dear Maria, a granddaughter of Mrs. Revere, will try to break her maiden in Friday’s third race at Churchill Downs. Bred by Dr. Hiram Polk and Dr. David Richardson, who owned Mrs. Revere, Dear Maria is out of the mare Maria Balastiere, who won the Regret beneath the Twin Spires in 1991 and was the only foal produced by Mrs. Revere before her passing. Trained by Tim Glyshaw, Dear Maria will break from post two under Calvin Borel. …

Mark Guidry, 19^th all-time in wins at Churchill Downs with 331, recorded his first victory at the Louisville track in nearly four years aboard Minister Colin in Wednesday’s sixth race. Guidry has won 17 stakes at Churchill Downs, with his biggest victory coming in the 2006 Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) aboard Lemons Forever. …

Ten $1,000 scholarships will be distributed to full-time students from colleges and universities throughout the country when Churchill Downs joins the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association for the annual College Scholarship Day on Friday, Nov. 11. College Scholarship Day will also feature a concert by Grammy-nominated country music artist David Nail. The concert will begin after Friday’s 10^th and final race and Nail is expected to perform from 5:30-7 p.m. EST. The concert is included in the track’s regular $3 admission price, but is complimentary for full-time students with a valid college ID. …

Also on Friday, all veterans with a valid ID will receive free admission to Churchill Downs in celebration of Veterans Day.

WORKTAB – Multiple graded stakes winner Thiskyhasnolimit breezed four furlongs over a fast Churchill Downs track Thursday morning in :52.80 for trainer Steve Asmussen. The 4-year-old son of Sky Mesa is a two-time stakes winner at the Louisville track, having won the Iroquois (GIII) as a 2-year-old and the Matt Winn at age three. …

Jack Mandato’s Zimmer breezed five furlongs on the firm Matt Winn Turf Course around the “dogs” in 1:01.80 for trainer Christophe Clement. Zimmer is pointing toward the River City Handicap (GIII) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf on Saturday, Nov. 19 and will be ridden by Calvin Borel, according to agent Jerry Hissam.

LANERIE WINS 300^TH AT CHURCHILL DOWNS; EYES FIRST RIDING TITLE – Jockey Corey Lanerie  added another highlight to his career when he captured his 300^th win beneath the Twin Spires in Sunday’s ninth race aboard Taptowne.

Lanerie is just the 20^th rider in Churchill Downs history to reach the 300-win plateau.

“It feels good, but I honestly didn’t know I had that many,” Lanerie said. “I’ve had a lot of good mounts and it makes it easy.”

The native of Lafayette, La., who will turn 37 Sunday, rode his first winner at Churchill Downs during the Fall Meet in 2000 and his list of victories at the Louisville track since then includes eight stakes wins.

“The stakes races I’ve won here stand out as highlights, but all of them are important to me,” Lanerie said.

The next goal for Lanerie is to capture a riding title at the home of the Kentucky Derby. He has finished second in the jockey standings in the past two Spring Meets to Calvin Borel in 2010 and Julien Leparoux in 2011.

“It’d be great (to win a riding title),” Lanerie said. “It’s a tough chore, but I’m definitely up to the task.”

Lanerie, who recorded his 3,000^th career victory in February at Fair Grounds, is off to a red-hot start at the 2011 Fall Meet with eights wins from 28 mounts. He is currently second in the jockey standings behind Leparoux, who has 10 wins from 52 mounts.

READY’S ROCKET GOES FOR 11^TH WIN BENEATH THE TWIN SPIRES – Fan-favorite Ready’s Rocket will return to his favorite track and in search of an historic 11^th win at Churchill Downs in Thursday’s sixth race.

Ready’s Rocket, who has recorded more wins beneath the Twin Spires than any horse since 1991, which was the first year detailed information was gathered by Equibase, will enter Thursday’s race off two third-place finishes on the synthetic Polytrack surface at Turfway Park.

“He ran well, but he probably shouldn’t have lost either race,” trainer Tim Glyshaw said. “He did okay this summer (at Ellis Park and Turfway Park), but this is definitely his favorite place.”

Ready’s Rocket will break from post 11 under Calvin Borel in the starter allowance and Glyshaw hopes  the race could set the 8-year-old gelded son of More Than Ready up a run in the upcoming Claiming Crown at Fair Grounds.

"If he runs well-enough tomorrow (Thursday) then I’ll probably run him in the Claiming Crown (Express) on Dec. 3,” Glyshaw said. “If he doesn’t run well then I’ll enter him in another starter allowance here (Churchill Downs) toward the end of the meet.”

Ready’s Rocket will enter the race off a near seven-week layoff due to a foot issue that was discovered shortly after his most recent start at Turfway on Sept. 23.

"He got an abscess on his right-front foot a few days after the race,” Glyshaw said. “It took him about ten days to get over it and that’s why we didn’t bring him to Keeneland. He’s doing fine now.”

Long-term plans for Ready’s Rocket have not been finalized; however, Glyshaw would like to bring him back as a 9-year-old.

“We’ll bring to Fair Grounds with us this winter and hopefully run him every six weeks or so,” Glyshaw said. “I’d love to bring him back for the Spring Meet (at Churchill Downs) next year. He still loves his job and we’ll keep him going, but he’ll tell us when enough is enough.”

Ready’s Rocket has a record of 19-8-11 from 67 career starts and earnings of $235,995.

MEET LEADERS AT A GLANCE – Through six days of the 21-day Fall Meet, jockey Julien Leparoux, trainer Steve Asmussen and owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey are the leaders in their respective categories at Churchill Downs. Below is a look at the divisional leaders entering Wednesday’s action:

Top Jockeys

1. Julien Leparoux (10-for-52, 19% win-percentage, $944,313 in earnings)

2. Corey Lanerie (8-for-28, 29%, $209,574)

3. Calvin Borel (4-for-27, 15%, $188,368)

3. Jon Court (4-for-17, 24%, $81,118)

3. Corey Nakatani (4-for-15, 27%, $1,836,830)

Top Trainers

1. Steve Asmussen (6-for-26, 23%, $1,876,049)

2. Bill Mott (5-for-11, 45%, $3,988,151)

3. Eddie Kenneally (4-for-9, 44%, $189,463)

4. Jinks Fires (3-for-5, 60%, $65,420)

4. Mike Maker (3-for-21, 14%, $1,207,012)

4. Steve Margolis (3-for-10, 30%, $296,400)

Top Owners

1. Ken and Sarah Ramsey (3-for-16, 19%, $601,423)

2. Fred Allor (2-for-2, 100%, $51,120)

2. Billy, Donna and Justin Hays (2-for-4, 50%, $19,590)

2. Richard, Bertram & Elaine Klein (2-for-7, 29%, $256,200)

2. Robert Lothenbach’s Lothenbach Stables Inc. (2-for-3, 67%, $77,754)

2. Kenny Troutt’s WinStar Farm LLC (2-for-3, 67%, $2,728,905) 

BARN TALK – Monastic, a half-brother to multiple graded stakes winner Keertana and stakes winner Snow Top Mountain, will make his fourth lifetime start in Wednesday’s second race for trainer Tom Proctor. The 2-year-old gelded son of Rock Hard Ten finished 10^th as the 2-1 favorite in the Bourbon (Grade III) at Keeneland in his most recent start. …

Nominations for four graded stakes to be run at Churchill Downs over Thanksgiving weekend will close today (Wednesday). The races include the 96^th running of the $175,000-added Falls City Handicap (GII) for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on the main track on Nov. 24 (Thanksgiving Day), the 137^th running of the $500,000-added Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GI) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on the main track on Nov. 25, the 85^th running of the $150,000-added Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on the main track on Nov. 26 and the 68^th running of the $150,000-added Golden Rod (GII) for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on the main track on Nov. 26. …

Ten $1,000 scholarships will be distributed to full-time students from colleges and universities throughout the country when Churchill Downs joins the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association for the annual College Scholarship Day on Friday, Nov. 11. College Scholarship Day will also feature a concert by Grammy-nominated country music artist David Nail. The concert will begin after Friday’s 10^th and final race and Nail is expected to perform from 5:30-7 p.m. EST. The concert is included in the track’s regular $3 admission price, but is complimentary for full-time students with a valid college ID.

WORKTAB – Gold Mark Farm LLC’s Culotte, winner of the Mountaineer Juvenile Fillies Stakes and Opelousas Stakes this year, breezed five furlongs Wednesday morning over a wet fast track beneath the Twin Spires in 1:01.80 for trainer Tom Amoss. …

At the nearby Trackside Training Center, Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch’s multiple stakes winner Gran Lioness breezed four furlongs on a fast track in :49.80 for trainer Bret Calhoun. The work was the fourth fastest of 15 at the distance. … Alpha Stables, Skychai Racing LLC and Sand Dollar Stable LLC’s Twinspired breezed five furlongs in 1:04.80 for trainer Mike Maker.

HOWARD LOOKS FOR SECOND BASHFORD MANOR WITH POWER WORLD - With 283 career wins beneath the Twin Spires, trainer Neil Howard is no stranger to the Churchill Downs winner’s circle.  One of his most important early wins came in the 1989 running of the Bashford Manor (GII) with Dogwood Stables’ Summer Squall, and he will bid for second win in the race Monday with Courtlandt Farms’  Power World.

The 2-year-old son of Distorted Humor endured a troubled start and rallied from 11 lengths back under jockey Corey Lanerie to win his 4 1/2-furlong debut at Churchill Downs on June 11.

"So far, I’m fairly optimistic about him,” Howard said. “He ran a good race in his last after getting the heck bumped out of him at the start. Given he had such a rough beginning, I think he put in a very mature effort.”

Running in Saturday’s Bashford Manor has brought back good memories of Summer Squall, who would run second to Unbridled in the 1990 Kentucky Derby (GI) and bounce back to beat the rival in the Preakness (GI) to provide Howard with his only victory in a Triple Crown race.

“Summer Squall was very, very precocious,” Howard said. “To be that precocious and then go on to win a classic is something special.”

Summer Squall and Power World appear to have different running styles, but the 62-year-old native of Riverdale, New York believes that will help the latter’s chances on Saturday.“Summer Squall had early speed and I don’t think Power World has that much of it,” Howard said. “It’s going to be a real slugfest on the front-end though and I’m glad that I won’t be a part of it. He’ll come running.”

One of the horses that will likely be close to the early pace is Klaravich Stables Inc. and William Lawrence’s Sum of the Parts, who has been installed as the 3-1 morning line favorite. A son of Speightstown, Sum of the Parts made an auspicious debut in a May 14 maiden race at Churchill Downs in which he defeated Stoneway Farm’s Bashford Manor contender Exfactor by 2 3/4 lengths.  The latter returned to score a 4 ½-length victory at 5 ½ furlongs in his next outing on June 9.

The six-furlong Bashford Manor is scheduled as the 12^th and featured event on a special 13-race program on the final Saturday of the historic track’s 38-day Spring Meet. Post time for the first race is 12:45 p.m. EDT and the Bashford Manor is set for a 6:23 p.m. start.

The field for the 110^th running of the Bashford Manor from the rail out with jockey and weight includes Laurie’s Rocket (Brian Hernandez Jr., 116), Lil Cherokee (Miguel Mena, 120), Power World (Lanerie, 118), Exfactor (Calvin Borel, 118), Chalybeate Springs (Jesus Castanon, 116), Bonaparte (Jon Court, 118), Sum of the Parts (Leandron Goncalves, 118), Hot Speed (Robby Albarado, 120), Tarpy’s Goal (Kent Desormeaux, 118), Green Mouse (Manoel Cruz, 118) and Friscan (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118).

BANNED SHARP IN WORK, SET FOR VIRGINIA DERBY – Glen Hill Farm’s Banned, a two-time graded stakes winner on turf, tuned up for a run in the $600,000 Virginia Derby (GII) with a sharp half-mile work on Churchill Downs’ Matt Winn Turf Course on Thursday.

The 3-year-old son of 2004 turf champion Kitten’s Joy, winner of American Turf Presented by Ram (GII) and the Jefferson Cup (GIII) during the Spring Meet, breezed four furlongs around the dogs over the firm going in :50.40 for trainer Tom Proctor.

"He’s a little keener than I’d like him to be at this point, but that’s okay it was still a good work,” Proctor said.

Proctor gave his rising star a bit of a breather after his Jefferson Cup win, but is now gearing Banned up for the July 16 Virginia Derby.

"I was thinking about working him Tuesday, but I wanted to give him an extra couple days because it’s the summer and hot and you don’t want to cook them,” Proctor said. “I probably could have worked him Tuesday though, because I don’t think he ran too hard in his last race.”

A big effort by Banned at Colonial Downs could convince Proctor to point him to a run in the 1 ¼-mile Secretariat (GI) at Arlington Park.

“We’ll have to see how he comes back from the Virginia Derby, but it’s a big possibility we will run in the Secretariat,” Proctor said. “I don’t know if he’s really bred to go that far and the bottom half of his pedigree says he can’t, but if you look at his action he looks like he could handle 1 ¼ miles.”

Bred in Kentucky by Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey, Banned has a career record of 4-0-1 from seven starts with earnings of $299,076.

LEPAROUX SURGES TO LEAD ATOP JOCKEY STANDINGS - Julien Leparoux will begin the closing week of Churchill Downs’ 38-day Spring Meet with 45-40 lead over Corey Lanerie in the race to be Churchill Downs’ leading rider.

Just 2 ½ weeks ago, Leparoux trailed Lanerie by 11 wins.

Through the first 25 days of the 38-day Spring Meet, Lanerie had a 34-24 lead over Shaun Bridgmohan with Leparoux in third at 23. Since June 12, Leparoux has gone on a 22-of-51 (43.1%) tear over the eight-day period, recording one five-win day (June 17), a trio of three-win days and four two-win days.

Meanwhile, Lanerie is 6-for-62 (9.7%) during than span and has been runner-up on 17 occasions. Ten of those seconds have been decided by a length or less, including five losses by a nose, head or neck. Also, Leparoux and Lanerie finished one-two five times during that period with the former on top in each occasion.

The French-born Leparoux, who will turn 28 on July 15, is seeking his eighth Churchill Downs riding title. He was leading rider at the Downs in 2006 Spring (87 wins), 2007 Spring (69 wins), 2007 Fall (27 wins), 2008 Fall (record 63 wins), 2009 Spring (62 wins), 2009 Fall (27 wins, tied with Calvin Borel) and 2010 Fall (28 wins).

Lanerie, a 36-year-old native of Lafayette, La., is pursuing his first local crown. In last year’s Spring Meet he finished second to Calvin Borel with 29 wins, which was Lanerie’s third top five finish in the Churchill Downs jockey standings. He won multiple riding titles in Texas before he moved to the Kentucky-Louisiana circuit in 2004. He was the leading rider at the 2010 Ellis Park meeting with 33 wins.

Elsewhere, Leparoux will begin Thursday’s action needing five wins to become only the 10^th jockey in Churchill Downs history to win 500 races beneath the historic Twin Spires. He took out his license to ride in 2005 and first rode at Churchill Downs during that year’s Fall Meet.

There’s also a tight race for leading trainer. Nine-time leading trainer Steve Asmussen (Fall 2001, Spring 2004, Fall 2004, Spring 2007, Fall 2007, Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Spring 2010 and Fall 2010) began the week with 15 wins, one more than two-time leading conditioner Tom Amoss (Spring 2002 and Spring 2008) and 2002 Fall training champ Ken McPeek. Asmussen is pursuing his fifth straight local title. Eddie Kenneally, seeking his first local title, was fourth with 12 wins, followed by eight-time champ Dale Romans (Spring 2000, Spring 2001, Spring 2002, Spring 2003, Fall 2003, Spring 2005, Fall 2005 and Spring 2006) with 11 wins and Fall 2008 leading conditioner Mike Maker with 10 victories.

Richard and Karen Papiese’s Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. is looking to dethrone 17-time leading owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey (Spring 2000, Fall 2000, Spring 2001, Fall 2001, Spring 2002, Fall 2002, Spring 2003, Fall 2003, Spring 2004, Fall 2005, Spring 2006, Fall 2007, Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009, Fall 2009 and Fall 2010). They have an 8-5 lead heading into the final week.

Below is a look at the rest of the leaders entering Thursday’s action:

Top Jockeys

1. Julien Leparoux (45-for-171, 26% win-percentage, $1,553,810 in earnings)

1. Corey Lanerie (40-for-207, 19%, $1,283,590)

3. Shaun Bridgmohan (29-for-163, 18%, $982,793)

4. Calvin Borel (25-for-181, 14%, $900,247)

5. Kent Desormeaux (21-for-110, 19%, $977,609)

Top Trainers

1. Steve Asmussen (15-for-96, 16%, $1,149,089)

2. Tom Amoss (14-for-39, 36%, $368,280)

2. Ken McPeek (14-for-57, 25%, $776,988)

4. Eddie Kenneally (12-for-45, 27%, $357,540)

5. Dale Romans (11-for-82, 13%, $884,000)

Top Owners

1. Richard and Karen Papiese’s Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. (8-for-40, 20%, $167,147)

2. Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey (5-for-31, 16%, $157,163)

3. Donald Adam’s Courtlandt Farms (4-for-27, 15%, $293,602)

3. Robert Baker and William Mack (4-for-16, 25%, $78,649)

3. Martin Cherry (4-for-8, 50%, $67,953)

3. Tom Ludt’s Vinery Stables LLC (4-for-10, 40%, $140,368)

3. Merrill Scherer, Dan Lynch and Ken Sentel (4-for-19, 21%, $100,843)

BARN TALK – Preston Stables LLC’s Flat Out, sixth to Pool Play in the $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap Presented by Abu Dhabi (GI), will run in Saturday’s Suburban Handicap (GII) at Belmont Park. The Scooter Dickey-trained Flat Out had also been considered for Monday’s $175,000-added Firecracker Handicap Presented by GE (GII) on turf at Churchill Downs. …

Morton Fink’s homebred Wise Dan is now “likely” to run in the Firecracker.  Trainer Charles Lopresti worked the winner of Keeneland’s Phoenix (GIII) a half-mile over a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in :48.80 on Tuesday.  Lopresti said Wise Dan went back to the track at Keeneland on Thursday and appears ready to go.  “We drew some blood on him and if the blood work comes back good on him this (Thursday) afternoon we’re going to run,” Lopresti said.  Tuesday’s work was Wise Dan’s first experience on grass.

Horses under consideration for the 21^st running of the Firecracker Handicap (with trainer, weight) include Baryshnikov (Mike Maker, 117), El Caballo (Ralph Nicks, 114), General Quarters (McCarthy, 117), Joshua Reynolds (Ralph Nicks, 114), Lubash (James Ryerson, 115), Mister Marti Gras (Chris Block, 115), Mystic (Bill Mott, 114), Strike Impact (Pat Dupuy, 117) and Wise Dan (Lopresti, 115). …

Jerry Romans’ Sassy Image, winner of the Grade I Humana Distaff and Grade III Winning Colors at Churchill Downs this spring, breezed four furlongs in a “bullet” time of :46.20 over a fast main track beneath the Twin Spires on Tuesday. “She’s a fast horse,” trainer Dale Romans said. “We’re pointing her to the (Grade I) Princess Rooney (at Calder Race Course on July 9). We’ll see how she comes out of that and then maybe look at the (Grade I) Ballerina (at Saratoga on August 27). …

Joseph M. Cornacchia, co-owner of Kentucky Derby winners Strike the Gold (1990) and Go for Gin (1994) died Sunday in New York at the age of 78. Funeral services will be held at Immaculate Conception Church in Westhampton, New York on Friday. …

Join us for the 3^rd Annual Horsemen’s Golf Scramble at Glenmary’s Country Club on Monday, August 29^th. Registration begins at 11 a.m. EDT and the cost is $100 per player with four players to a team. Lunch will also begin at 11 a.m. and the shotgun start is at 12:30 p.m. Those interested may pick up a form from The Backside Learning Center and return it by Friday, August 12. …

The Churchill Downs Incorporated Foundation (“Churchill Charities”) will continue its new charitable initiative, Pony Up For Charity, this Friday, July 1, at Downs After Dark. Customers may elect to ask their server to add, or “Pony Up,” a dollar or more to their food and beverage tab, which will be designated to New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program. …

The first race for Friday’s “Downs After Dark” nighttime racing celebration at Churchill Downs has been moved up one hour to 5 p.m. because it is now a special 13-race program. Two “make-up” races originally scheduled for last Thursday were added to Friday’s card after an F1 tornado hit the Louisville track’s barn area last Wednesday night and forced a cancellation of the next day’s program. Admission gates will still open on the regular night schedule at 4 p.m. …

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockey over the last five racing days (June 18-26) is Julien Leparoux (13-for-35). Ken McPeek (6-for-15) and Eddie Kenneally (4-for-9) are the hottest trainers over the same period. Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey (2-for-4) and Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. (2-for-8) are the hottest owners.

WORKTAB – William S. Farish and Skara Glen Stables’ Close Ally, who ran second to Banned in the American Turf Presented by Ram (GIII) prior to finishing second in the Lone Star Derby (GIII) on dirt in his most recent start, breezed five furlongs over a firm Matt Winn Turf Course on Thursday morning for trainer Neil Howard.

Right Time Racing LLC’s Bouquet Booth, fifth in the Grade I Kentucky Oaks and third in the Regret Presented by Etihad Airways (GIII), breezed four furlongs on a fast main track at Churchill Downs in :49.80 for trainer Steve Margolis.

Mrs. Yoshio Fujita’s Ravi’s Song, who ran second in the Grade III Early Times Mint Julep to Magdalena Racing’s My Baby Baby, worked a “bullet” four furlongs in :47.60 on the main track on Thursday morning for trainer Carl Bowman.

WEATHER – Thursday: sunny, 87. Friday: mostly sunny, 92. Saturday: mostly sunny and hot, 96. Sunday: mostly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 93. Monday: partly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 91. Tuesday: partly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 90. Wednesday: mostly sunny with a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 92.

STEP ONE OF MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, CASSE AIMS FOR BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC WITH FOSTER WINNER POOL PLAY – Mark Casse’s decision to run William Farish Jr.’s Pool Play in Saturday’s 30^th running of the $500,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap Presented by Abu Dhabi (Grade I) was not a wild stab or a whim, as racing fans across the country discovered when the 6-year-old son of Silver Deputy stormed through the stretch to edge Mission Impazible by a neck at 36-1 odds.

A three-time winner of the Sovereign Award that annually honors Canada’s top trainer, Casse sent Pool Play to the Foster with a specific mission: to determine if the distance-loving horse, after 27 races on synthetic and turf courses, would fare on a dirt course.  If he ran as well over the Churchill Downs dirt as Casse hoped, step two would be a bid for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) at the Louisville track on Nov. 5.

Pool Play handled Saturday’s initial test with aplomb when he posted the third-largest upset in the three-decade history of the Stephen Foster.  On Sunday, Casse was working up a plan to get him to the next step.

“It’s nice when things work, when you have a plan and it works,” Casse said on the morning after his most important win at Churchill Downs.  “I understood him being that big a price.  Here’s a horse running against some of the best older horses and they all had proven form on the dirt.  Well, here we had a horse who had never ran on it, so could understand.”

Along with watching Pool Play blossom from an unknown factor to Breeders’ Cup Classic contender in the Foster, the Stephen Fsoter upset was special to Casse for personal reasons.  The Indianapolis native spent his early years as a trainer beneath the historic Twin Spires, and has a 1988 Spring Meet training title so show for it.

"It was a real proud moment for a lot of reasons,” Casse said. “One is when you do something that’s a little unorthodox, that’s always nice.  And Churchill is where I started.  Churchill is special and always has been.  To win a race like that at Churchill Downs means a lot.”

Casse believed that the Breeders’ Cup Classic’s 1 ¼-mile distance fits Pool Play perfectly, but the horse’s dirt prowess was a question mark.  If Pool Play would handle any dirt course, Casse felt it would be the one-mile main track at Churchill Downs. Casse believes the course is extraordinarily kind to horses that run well on turf and synthetic courses.  While Pool Play’s home base at Toronto’s Woodbine is a synthetic Polytrack surface, Casse sees difference in Woodbine’s manufactured footing and Mother Nature’s dirt at Churchill.

“I was out there (on the Churchill dirt) this morning watching horses train and you can see they get into the ground only about two inches, at most,” Casse said.  “If you walk across Churchill Downs and you walk across Woodbine’s racetrack, that’s how much they penetrate the surface.  It’s almost identical.”

It’s Casse’s opinion that the clay that is an important part of the make-up of Churchill Downs’ sandy loam surface is the key ingredient that makes the Louisville surface is comfortable to horses that do their best running on synthetic or turf courses, or possess pedigrees that point toward those surfaces.

Whatever the case, Casse’s plan worked well for Pool Play in the Stephen Foster.  Now he’s looking to formulate a plant over the coming weeks that will get his veteran back to Churchill Downs and ready to offer his best effort against an expected international field the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

“We’ve been planning to go to Saratoga with a string, so what I think I’ll do is take him to Saratoga and see how he trains over the dirt,” Casse said.  “Just because you like the dirt at Churchill Downs doesn’t mean you’re going to like it at Saratoga.  We’ll train him there and if he trains all right we’ll think about the Whitney (GI on Aug. 6 at Saratoga).  Our number one goal will be the Breeders’ Cup.  How we get there is kind of secondary, really.  So everything we do from now on will be that kind of plan.  I wouldn’t even be shocked if he ran on the grass again.”

The $327,127 winner’s share of the Stephen Foster purse boosted Pool Play’s career earnings to $909,556 with a record of 6-6-5 from 28 starts.  His only other graded stakes win came in the 2009 Durham Cup (GIII) on Polytrack at Woodbine. In his previous start, Pool Play finished second on turf in the Grade II Elkhorn at Keeneland, where he was beaten by 1 ¼ lengths by Musketier-GER.

So Pool Play’s victory is clearly the high point of the career of his racing career to date, but all that could change on Nov. 5 when, if all has gone well, Casse’s horse gets a chance to shine again on the Churchill Downs dirt in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

“What I’m trying to do is get there with a happy horse in the fall,” Casse said.  “He showed what we needed him to show yesterday, and that is that he belongs.  I’ve said all the along the mile and a quarter will be right up his alley.  So he may go to Toronto and run on the grass, he may run in the Whitney – I’m not sure yet.  Obviously you always like to win, but our number one goal is to be the best he can be on Breeders’ Cup Day.”

STEPHEN FOSTER DAY UNDERCARD WINNERS EXIT RACES IN GOOD ORDER – Stephen Foster Day Presented by Abu Dhabi was highlighted by the Grade I Stephen Foster, but also featured four other exciting graded stakes races, including the first Arabian horserace in the history of Churchill Downs. The winners of the three undercard stakes for Thoroughbreds all came out of their respective races in good order and their connections are looking forward to the rest of their 2011 campaigns.

Glen Hill Farm’s Banned captured the Grade III Jefferson Cup Presented by Abu Dhabi to complete the American Turf – Jefferson Cup double and improve his record to 4-0-1 from seven starts with earnings of $299,076. “He came out of the race good and we’re ready to rock and roll,” trainer Tom Proctor said. “We’re going to the Virginia Derby (Grade II at Colonial Downs on July 16).”

The two other graded stakes races for Thoroughbreds were won by horses from the Ken McPeek barn; giving the 48-year-old trainer wins in five consecutive graded stakes races he has entered at Churchill Downs. Peter Callahan’s Scotus notched McPeek’s first graded stakes winner of the afternoon in the Grade III Matt Winn Presented by Emirates Equestrian Federation. A 3-year-old son of Successful Appeal made a successful stakes debut in the Matt Winn and improved his record to 2-1-2 from five starts with earnings of $121,054.

“He (Scotus) is doing fine,” assistant trainer Philip Bauer said. “He ate all his feed and walked well this morning. We aren’t sure where we will go with him from here. There are a lot of different options and, at this time, no decision has been made.”

The other graded stakes winner for McPeek came with Catesby Clay’s Bizzy Caroline in the Grade III Regret Presented by Etihad Airways. The victory, which gave Bizzy Caroline, a 3-year-old daughter of Afleet Alex, her third win in a row and first stakes triumph, improved her record to 3-0-1 from six starts with earnings of $148,497.

“No decision has been made for Bizzy Caroline either,” Bauer said. “She came out of the race well. She shipped back to Keeneland with Sassy’s Dream and she’ll be trained there for her next start.”

Livin the Dream Racing 2009, LLC’s Sassy’s Dream, a 3-year-old daughter of Flower Alley, won the fourth race Saturday for McPeek under Alan Garcia.

MCPEEK’S CHURCHILL STAKES STREAK CONTINUES, BUT DONE FOR SPRING – While Stephen Foster Day Presented by Abu Dhabi was notable for the upset by 36-1 shot Pool Play in the day’s main event; the win by T M Fred Texas in the first race for Arabians in the 137-year history of Churchill Downs and another dazzling run by Glen Hill Farm’s rising 3-year-old turf star Banned, the big day cannot be discussed seriously without the mention of the continuation of trainer Ken McPeek’s remarkable stakes streak.

The Lexington native secured two stakes wins to extend his streak of graded stakes wins at the historic track to five.  Numbers four and five in the streak were wins by Peter J. Callahan’s Scotus in the Matt Winn (GIII) for 3-year-olds and Catesby W. Clay’s Bizzy Caroline in the Regret (GIII) for 3-year-old fillies on turf.

Previous winners in the streak were Noble’s Promise in the Aristides (GIII) for older horses at six furlongs, Salty Strike in the Dogwood (GIII) for 3-year-old fillies at a mile, and My Baby Baby in last week’s Early Times Mint Julep (GIII) for older fillies and mares on turf.

“I’m proud of it, but we’re not going to dwell on it,” McPeek by telephone from Lexington when asked about the streak on Sunday.  “We’re going to keep going.”

McPeek clearly appreciates the unusual string of good fortune in stakes competition and is quick to credit his team for its work in getting those horses into the winner’s circle in those races.   But McPeek also believes it was past time for his stable to enjoy a good run.

"The truth is that we were very due,” McPeek said.  “Over the last year or year and a half, we had a rash of seconds and thirds in so many nice races – Breeders’ Cup races and Derby preps.  It just seemed like every time we were second, third, second, third.  We were hitting, numbers wise, in our normal percentages in-the-money, but we weren’t winning.  We were just due, and they came in a flourish.”

After his latest win by Bizzy Caroline, McPeek’s Churchill Downs stakes run appears to have ended until the Oct. 30-Nov. 27 Fall Meet.  He has no candidates for the three races that close out the Spring Meet stakes schedule: the $100,000 Bashford Manor (GIII) for 2-year-olds, the $100,000 Debutante (GIII) for 2-year-old fillies and the $175,000 Firecracker (GII) for older horses at a mile on turf.

As special as a string of five consecutive stakes wins with horses hailing from five different divisions of competition is, McPeek takes and extra measure of satisfaction in the fact that all of those winners are pure products of his operation.

“What I’m most proud of is that we developed them all from scratch,” McPeek said. “They all started in our system as yearlings – every one of them.  That’s what I do.”

BARN TALK – Jockey Robby Albarado, who has 922 career wins at Churchill Downs, is just three victories away from tying Hall of Famer Don Brumfield for third all-time in wins beneath the Twin Spires. Albarado has six mounts Sunday (Races 4-7, 9-10). …

With two wins on Saturday’s Stephen Foster Day Presented by Abu Dhabi card and 11 wins in the last week, jockey Julien Leparoux, who has won seven riding titles beneath the Twin Spires, is quickly closing the gap between him and leading rider Corey Lanerie. Leparoux will enter Sunday’s 10-race program with 34 victories, three behind Lanerie. …

Nominations for the final two graded stakes races of the 39-day Spring Meet at Churchill Downs closed Saturday. The nominations for the Grade III, $100,000-added Bashford Manor to be run July 2 and the Grade II, $175,000-added Firecracker Handicap to be run July 4 will be announced Sunday. …

Sunday’s 10-race program will feature a Pick 6 carryover of $19,254 and a Super High 5 carryover of $13,407. The Pick 6 will begin with Race 5 at 2:51 p.m. EDT and the Super High 5 will take place on Race 10 at 5:25 p.m. …

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockeys over the last five racing days (June 11-18) are Julien Leparoux (11-for-22) and Manny Cruz (9-for-34). Ken McPeek (4-for-9) and Tom Amoss (3-for-8) are the hottest trainers over the same period. No owner has won more than one race during the past week.

WORKTAB – Robert Baker and William Mack’s Dublin worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 on a fast main track at Churchill Downs on Sunday morning for trainer D. Wayne Lukas in preparation for his return to competition in the $76,600-added Kelly’s Landing overnight stakes on Friday’s “Downs After Dark” program.   Dublin, a 4-year-old son of Afleet Alex who won Saratoga’s Hopeful (GI) at two, has not raced since a fifth-place finish in the 2010 Preakness (GI).

Dublin drew the rail in a strong field of eight for the seven furlong race that also attracted Forego (GI) winner and defending Kelly’s Landing winner Here Comes Ben; Captain Cherokee, the runner-up in the Portero Grande (GII), San Carlos (GII) and Palos Verde GII) at Santa Anita; and Cool Bullet, runner-up to Churchill Downs (GII) winner Aikenite in Keeneland’s Commonwealth (GII).

WEATHER – Sunday: partly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 86. Monday: partly sunny and hot with a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 95. Tuesday: mostly sunny and hot with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 95. Wednesday: mostly cloudy with a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 88. Thursday: partly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 84. Friday: partly sunny, 83. Saturday: mostly sunny, 85.    

Glen Hill Farm’s Banned became the fifth horse in Churchill Downs history to sweep the track’s pair of stakes events for 3-year-olds on turf when he drew clear of Benergy in the stretch to win Saturday’s 36^th running of the Grade III, $106,215 Jefferson Cup Presented by Abu Dhabi by two lengths. The Jefferson Cup was one of five stakes races on the 12-race Stephen Foster Day program, which was presented by Abu Dhabi.

Ridden by Jose Lezcano and trained by Tom Proctor, Banned clocked 1 1/16 miles on a Matt Winn Turf Course rated “yielding” in 1:43.66. By doing so, the 3-year-old joined Senor Tomas (1992), King Cugat (2000), Senor Swinger (2003) and Tizdejavu (2008) as the only horses to complete the American Turf-Jefferson Cup double. The Kentucky-bred son of Kitten’s Joy out of the Capote mare Cadinalli collected his first stakes victory on the May 6 Kentucky Oaks undercard with a 4 ½-length romp in the Grade II, $237,400 American Turf Presented by Ram.

Banned, sent to post as the odds-on 1-5 favorite, only had three rivals Saturday. Redboard broke from the gate on top, with a hard-pulling Banned in second, and took the field through fractions of :24.69, :49.31 and 1:13.58. Banned made his winning move on the final turn, took the lead at the top of the stretch in 1:37.38 for the mile and drew clear in deep stretch under a hand ride.

“I was really confident in him coming into the race, but the four horse field scared me,” Proctor said. “Too many things can happen in a small field that will make you not get there.”

Banned paid $2.60 and $2.10. There was no show wagering. Benergy, ridden by Javier Casteallano, returned $3. Perregaux, under Robby Albarado, was another 3 ¼ lengths behind in third and pacesetter Redboard was another 2 ¼ lengths back in last. Live in Joy, Dream Warrior, Swagger Jack and Great Mills were scratched.

Banned improved his record to 4-0-1 from seven starts. The $67,890 winner’s share 

JEFFERSON CUP QUOTES

Tom Proctor, trainer of Banned (winner): “I don’t know how good he is yet. Opinions don’t matter in horse racing. You put them in the gate and they tell you how good they are. I was really confident in him coming into the race, but the four horse field scared me. Too many things can happen in a small field that will make you not get there.

"I think the logical choice is to take him to Arlington or Virginia now…or we may even take him to Del Mar. (Owner) Mr. (Leonard) Lavin is a big California guy so he may push for us to run out there.”

Jose Lezcano, jockey of Banned (winner): “He is a very nice horse and has a lot of talent. He broke good and sat comfortable and then went very well at the end. I felt like a winner the whole time.”

Dale Romans, trained of Benergy (runner-up): “I think he’s a good colt.  I’m very proud of the way he ran. He’s improving every race. I think (Banned) is probably the best 3-year-old turf horse in the country right now, but I think our horse even wants to run a little further.”

Javier Castellano, jockey of Benergy (runner-up): “He ran excellent. I loved the way he did it today. He settled behind horses and split horses at the right time and the right place, and he took off. Unfortunately, the winner looked a little better on paper and he showed up today. When his jockey asked him, he (Banned) took off. But I’m very satisfied with him – it was a great performance.”